Queen Latifah

Dana Elaine Owens better known as Queen Latifah, is an American performer and actress. Her performance as a singer, music as well as a film and television artist has garnered her two Screen Actors Guild Awards and two Image Awards. She also received an Grammy Award along with six additional Grammy nominations. Queen Latifah was born and was raised in Newark New Jersey the daughter of Rita a schoolteacher who worked at Irvington High School and Lancelot Owens, Jr. a police officer. The couple divorced when Latifah was 10 years old. Latifah was born and brought up in Newark New Jersey attended Catholic school in Newark. The stage name Latifah is a reference to delicate and compassionate in Arabic was bestowed to her her aunt when she was eight. Always a tall girl at 5'10, Latifah was a forward for her basketball team in high school. At her school's game, Latifah performed "Home" from The Wiz. Latifah began her career as a beatboxer with The Ladies Fresh rap band. Latifah became a member of the original Flavor Unit group that included a number of MCs and DJ Mark 45 King. Mark James (aka DJ Mark the 45King) recorded a sample of Queen Latifah rapper Princess of the Posse. He gave the recording to the host of Yo! MTV Raps Freddy. Dante Ross of Tommy Boy Music, who worked for Latifah at the time was awed by her song. In 1988 she released Wrath of My Madness as Latifah's first single.